On the subject of historical romance novels

[Rfisher]

So......those of you who do enjoy the genre
When is to far, too far out there for you to enjoy? Or your enjoyment has no boundaries?

 

[Missy]

I don't think I ever read an historical romance novel. In fact, I have not read any romance novels since I was a teenager.

Are they very racy?

 

[Rfisher]

I shouldn’t have put historical in the title, really.
any romance novel can run the gamut of handholding courtship only (there’s a name for this I can’t remember) to outright ****. And I’m sure abuse.
Teen geared romance novels have this wide range as well, if you look.
My question was really how silly is too silly, or how out there is too niche for you?
Romance novels obviously geared towards procreation - it seems - makes me laugh and have no ?desire? to read it.

 

[Rfisher]

I read a historical romance novel that I found of my moms or sisters when I was 14-16 years old.
One and done for me - I kept towards Steven King /Anne Rice /Whitley Schreiber/ Raymond Feist.
I will confess about 8 years ago I searched online for that same romance book I read many many years ago. It’s a guilty pleasure to have it.
It’s also a guilty pleasure to look at bookstores and the outlandish cover artwork and all the super crazy niches they cater to.
I don’t think I would ever have the wants to read them tho.
Someone out there does and that’s ok!

 

[lyra]

I have read every genre at some point in my life. My mom liked historical romances, so of course I read all of her books. It was a phase. Now I don't want to read anything overtly romantic at all. I like mysteries, and gothic type mysteries especially. I do remember also, all of my mom's gothic romance books. All the covers looked the same.

 

[GlitterInMyHair]

Probably The Constant Princess and The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory, when her novels were hugely popular.

 

[MeowMeow]

I used to read them because I started running out of childrens and teens books at the library because of how much I read books. But it's not my personal preference. A little romance is fine just don't want to read what is essentially ****. I don't read as many books these days but I really should.

 

[Dee*Jay]

I have read a few historical fictions (although not really romance) over the years and I decided it's a bad idea for me. My grasp on history (based on a lack of real interest) is tenuous at best so to read something like that would probably implant in my mind as The Real Thing, no matter how far from the actual truth it was. I think I'm better off knowing little than knowing the wrong thing! It's kind of like my geography "knowledge." If you showed me a globe with things moved around I likely wouldn't know it!

 

[Rfisher]

If you click and zoom in - here’s some more ‘one night with consequences’ romance books found in the wild. Crazy.
Not judging who likes the books - there obviously is a market for them
But the kidnap fantasy /unwilling partner fantasy/mail order partner fantasy /extraterrestrial/ half human love .....
The sheer varied amount of what’s available and looks to be mainstream- is

interesting.

I think Scotty McMullet pictured earlier is a parody. But really I have no clue?!?!?

 

[Rfisher]

I have read a few historical fictions (although not really romance) over the years and I decided it's a bad idea for me. My grasp on history (based on a lack of real interest) is tenuous at best so to read something like that would probably implant in my mind as The Real Thing, no matter how far from the actual truth it was. I think I'm better off knowing little than knowing the wrong thing! It's kind of like my geography "knowledge." If you showed me a globe with things moved around I likely wouldn't know it!

that’s funny! I remember watching blue/grey or north/south tv miniseries and trying to use that as knowledge for 6th grade social studies as I remembered it better than what was taught by the teachers! So I can relate.

 

[Rfisher]

I have to watch what my kids pick up at the library. Young reader section had graphic comics that contained sexual abuse.

I used to read them because I started running out of childrens and teens books at the library because of how much I read books. But it's not my personal preference. A little romance is fine just don't want to read what is essentially p*rn. I don't read as many books these days but I really should.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

does Wilbur Smith count ?

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

that’s funny! I remember watching blue/grey or north/south tv miniseries and trying to use that as knowledge for 6th grade social studies as I remembered it better than what was taught by the teachers! So I can relate.

i did love north and south and its trigoly - but Patrick Swazy really made that mini series !

i hate to think what the jibberish view of history the crown is doing

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

oh oh oh me again !

well i sit at home with nothing much to do all day
what about Bella and Edward ?

at forty something i was totally smitten with twlight and Gary happily watched the first two movies ...less happily the next 3
i read the 4 books in 8 days ...ok i think i may have pulled a sickie for one of those days !

and yes im very excitted about midnight sun - twilight as narrated by Edward being released soon

i brought my mum all 4 books but saddly the dementia was just starting to rob her of concentration and basically enjoyment of life so she said they were silly which i thought was so sad because the characters are so likeable and fundamentally good and even the baddies are pretty.
and it seemed like every female on the planet got to be a teenager again through their love of Twlight

 

[telephone89]

If you get bored of the human genre...

 

[Rfisher]

oh oh oh me again !

well i sit at home with nothing much to do all day
what about Bella and Edward ?

at forty something i was totally smitten with twlight and Gary happily watched the first two movies ...less happily the next 3
i read the 4 books in 8 days ...ok i think i may have pulled a sickie for one of those days !

and yes im very excitted about midnight sun - twilight as narrated by Edward being released soon

i brought my mum all 4 books but saddly the dementia was just starting to rob her of concentration and basically enjoyment of life so she said they were silly which i thought was so sad because the characters are so likeable and fundamentally good and even the baddies are pretty.
and it seemed like every female on the planet got to be a teenager again through their love of Twlight

Yes! Patrick Swayze!!

I’ll admit I binge watched the twilight movies two years ago. Guilty. And tardy on the trend. They are awful good. Not awfully good. I hung my head in shame for days.

And is it not true 50 shades is fanfic of twilight?

 

[Rfisher]

If you get bored of the human genre...

Yes! Yes!
Have no clue if these are satire -
But funny as hell!

I don’t think the mermen and Minotaur /centaur/faun /goat boy ones are satire.
I forgot rule 34.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

i must

So......those of you who do enjoy the genre
When is to far, too far out there for you to enjoy? Or your enjoyment has no boundaries?

opps i must apologise as Twlight probably isnt historical romance ...but the characters (the vampires) are all really old and have lived through a lot of history

 

[Rfisher]

Nah don’t apologize @Daisys and Diamonds
I mentioned earlier it’s not just historical I was musing about.
Just the crazy and how crazy is too crazy for YOU?
Ha!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

thank you @Rfisher


now someone needs to post a picture or two of Fabio

 

[Rfisher]

Fabio?
He looks like Michael Bolton.
I swear they are twins.
And Kenny G is their triplet.
Yes. Yes. And yes.

ETA: they aren’t my eye candy of choice, but they are the epitome of romance novel cover fodder

 

[lyra]

I remember Fabio! I have heard of all the human vs ? romance books. I don't get it. I don't want to waste my time on it to find out. Outwardly, it seems very icky to me, lol. I don't condone the abuse stories either. Plus no 50 shades of anything. I did read the Twilight books, but that was long before the movies. Terrible writing IMO, but the stories seemed good at the time.

 

[Austina]

Ive never read a romantic historical novel, unless you count the Poldark books? They werent’ racy tho

While we’re on the subject I’ve never read or seen any of the Twilight or Harry Potter stories either.

I like crime fiction, with lots of forensic detail, things like Jeffrey Deaver, Patricia Cornwall, Karin Slaughter, that type of thing.

 

[Calliecake]

I’ve been watching Poldark. Are we talking about the same Poldark @Austina ? The characters in the series I’m watching has Ross Poldark and Demelza as main characters.

 

[Polabowla]

Watched a few minutes of 50 shades & I find it extremely disturbing.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Not saucy at all but I watched the 2009 BBC version of Emma last night. Love it!!!! Forever my favorite Jane Austen story!

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Watched a few minutes of 50 shades & I find it extremely disturbing.

Hehe it always reminds me of this:

 

[Polabowla]

@mellowyellowgirl I didn't find it romantic at all.
To me he seemed like a predator who found an innocent virgin to prey on.

I do read romance novels & historical romance or mystery. Some I like, most I don't.

 

[stracci2000]

When I was in Jr. High, I read all the historical romance novels on my mom's bookshelf. Pirates, Counts, Generals, Swashbucklers, they all got the girl.

I knew about the birds and the bees, but this is how I learned about sex!
All kinds of sex! Way too much sex for a Jr. High kid to know about!

 

[LinSF]

I've gone through phases where I've read them. I do have to say that the Outlander series is one of my favorites, and I read them many, many years before the series came out. The writer was a scientist, and so her writing is detailed, concise, and her words can really create a complex scene with emotion involved - without boring you to death.

I've always been a huge reader. I read Gone With the Wind in 4th grade because I ran out of other books. Like @stracci2000 I learned a lot about intimate moments from books, inadvertently. People did look at my mom sideways for letting me read that one... lol. She had no idea, having never read it or seen the movie herself.